An analytical model for the electron impact K-shell ionization cross sections of atoms

•An analytical model for the evaluation of the K-shell ionization cross sections is proposed.•The model demonstrates the importance of relativistic effects in describing the experimental cross sections at high incident energies.•It provides a fast generation of cross sections with reasonable accuracy over the wider range of energies (EThreshold ≤ E ≤ 10 GeV)and for a larger domain of atomic species (6 ≤ Z ≤ 92).

A simple modification of the Vaisburd and Evdokimov model (VE) [Russ. Phys. J. 46, 1160 (2003)], with a acronym MVE, embodying the relativistic effects is proposed and employed to evaluate the K-shell ionization cross sections of atomic targets with atomic numbers 6 ≤ Z ≤ 92 for incident energies EThreshold ≤ E ≤ 10 GeV. For a meaningful comparison we also revisited our earlier MUIBED model [Int. J. Q. Chemistry, 108, 1023 (2008)] to obtain the K-shell ionization cross sections for 24 atomic targets and above mention energy range. It is found that our new results from the MVE model agrees quite well not only with available experimental data but also with other theoretical values.

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